Poised To Dominate
7/20/2018 5:36:00 PM | Football
Experienced D-Line Ready to Shoulder the Load
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
Without even a moment's hesitation, Greg Roberts believes Baylor's defensive line is "poised to dominate" this season.
"Why shouldn't we dominate?" said Roberts, a 6-5, 264-pound fifth-year senior who registered four tackles for loss and blocked two field goals last season. "There are three seniors on our d-line – myself, Ira (Lewis) and (Xavier Jones). Why can't we lead them to be the most dominant d-line in the conference or even in the country? We have the tools to do it."
No other position group on the team returns as much experience and depth as the defensive line, which has eight players who made starts a year ago. And that doesn't even include James Lynch, who earned ESPN Freshman All-America honors after recording three sacks as a true freshman; or James Lockhart, a junior transfer from Texas A&M who backed up All-American end Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
"I expect nothing but the best, because I feel like this team is going to go as the d-line goes," said the 6-3, 290-pound Lewis, who had a team-high 5 ½ sacks and 11 ½ tackles for loss last season. "I expect Greg to be disruptive every play. I expect Tyrone (Hunt) to be unstoppable. I expect Bravvion Roy to stop every run that comes his way. And I expect X (Jones) to get a sack every time it's a pass."
That would be a big step, though, for a unit that produced just 13 of the team's 23 sacks last year. Baylor's defense as a whole ranked 111th in the country, allowing 456.9 yards and 35.9 points per game.
"We want to be a heck of a pass-rushing team," Roberts said. "How do you do that? You go get the reps. We have Coach (Frank) Okam and we had Coach E (Elijah Robinson) last year. Those are two great coaches that know what they're talking about. I think taking those things and applying them on the field and having somebody hold you accountable, that's a recipe for greatness."
After a rough start, the defense started to show improvement later in the year as the players began to learn defensive coordinator Phil Snow's system.
Lewis said it can be "a lot at one time," trying to understand the complicated schemes and adjustments. "If you don't break it down step by step and study it little by little, it can be overwhelming to you."
Taking it a step farther, Roberts says "it's like learning a foreign language."
"When they first got here, it was like Chinese," he said. "Now, you can speak with them. We can have these conversations, I can talk to Coach Snow. And you can build off of that. The younger guys, they won't have that problem because that's the only football they know. But me, coming from my past system, it was a lot to learn at first. But now, I feel like it's smooth sailing."
The Bears have a solid two-deep up front with Lewis, Hunt, Lynch and Roy at the tackles and Roberts, Jones, Lockhart and Deonte Williams at end. But, it doesn't stop there.
Also in the mix are Micheal Johnson and redshirt freshmen Rob Saulin and Chidi Ogbonnoya at tackle and BJ Thompson and incoming freshmen Marje Smith and Josh Landry outside at the ends. That gives Okam three and four deep at every position up front.
But, it definitely starts with the seniors and their leadership.
"Ira is a quiet leader, he leads by example," second-year head coach Matt Rhule says. "He's one of those guys, I leave my office and look out sometimes and I can seem him out there hitting the sled at 5 o'clock, working on his left-handed stance. He wants to be a pro. He's a guy that should be a pro and play for a long time."
After graduating in May with a degree in political science, Lewis could have left as a grad transfer and finished out his career at another school. But, like Roberts, safety Verkedric Vaughns and receiver Chris Platt, he chose to stick it out.
"I definitely take pride in that, because I don't want to leave here on a losing season," said Lewis, who plans to go to law school after football. "Baylor fans deserve to see us win again."
Awarded one of the single-digit jerseys last season, Lewis said it was a "huge honor" and he wants to get it back this year. "I still appreciate my teammates voting me to wear that last year, and hopefully I get to do it again," said Lewis, who switched from No. 97 to No. 9.
Rhule calls Roberts "the epitome of our process."
"He's a guy that's played a lot, and now it's time for him to go be dominant," Rhule said. "It's time for him to affect the passer. You can't talk your want into that, you can't fake your way into that. You have to practice and then go do it in games. And I think he's really close to being that guy."
Roberts has also developed into a leader as he's matured.
"When I first got here, he just said whatever came into his head," Rhule said. "And now, he's thoughtful, he's insightful. He called me on vacation and wanted to know how to handle something, because he wants to be a great leader. Before, he just flew off the handle.
"He's learned one of the great lessons in life that if you want to be a great leader, you also have to listen. You also have to be willing to be led. You don't always have to be right. And that's why I think he's going to have a great year."
Roberts says he gets his toughness and explosion from his dad, Greg Roberts Sr., an Outland Trophy winner at Oklahoma who played five years in the NFL.
"I remember watching him and was like, 'Dang, Pops, you were out there,''' Greg said. "Genetically, I think that's what he's given me, just that toughness and my quickness off the ball. His, too, when he was playing was his biggest advantage. I told him, 'Pops, everybody back then was so slow, that's why you look so fast.'''
Also a May 2018 graduate, Roberts said that "you don't really appreciate these things until they're gone or whatever, but I wanted to do it for my grandmother and my aunt, the people who watched me and raised me. I wanted them to be proud. More than anything, I'm glad they got to see me graduate."
The Bears will open fall camp on Friday, Aug. 3, and kick off the season Sept. 1 with a home game against Abilene Christian at McLane Stadium.
Baylor Bear Foundation
Without even a moment's hesitation, Greg Roberts believes Baylor's defensive line is "poised to dominate" this season.
"Why shouldn't we dominate?" said Roberts, a 6-5, 264-pound fifth-year senior who registered four tackles for loss and blocked two field goals last season. "There are three seniors on our d-line – myself, Ira (Lewis) and (Xavier Jones). Why can't we lead them to be the most dominant d-line in the conference or even in the country? We have the tools to do it."
No other position group on the team returns as much experience and depth as the defensive line, which has eight players who made starts a year ago. And that doesn't even include James Lynch, who earned ESPN Freshman All-America honors after recording three sacks as a true freshman; or James Lockhart, a junior transfer from Texas A&M who backed up All-American end Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
"I expect nothing but the best, because I feel like this team is going to go as the d-line goes," said the 6-3, 290-pound Lewis, who had a team-high 5 ½ sacks and 11 ½ tackles for loss last season. "I expect Greg to be disruptive every play. I expect Tyrone (Hunt) to be unstoppable. I expect Bravvion Roy to stop every run that comes his way. And I expect X (Jones) to get a sack every time it's a pass."
That would be a big step, though, for a unit that produced just 13 of the team's 23 sacks last year. Baylor's defense as a whole ranked 111th in the country, allowing 456.9 yards and 35.9 points per game.
"We want to be a heck of a pass-rushing team," Roberts said. "How do you do that? You go get the reps. We have Coach (Frank) Okam and we had Coach E (Elijah Robinson) last year. Those are two great coaches that know what they're talking about. I think taking those things and applying them on the field and having somebody hold you accountable, that's a recipe for greatness."
After a rough start, the defense started to show improvement later in the year as the players began to learn defensive coordinator Phil Snow's system.
Lewis said it can be "a lot at one time," trying to understand the complicated schemes and adjustments. "If you don't break it down step by step and study it little by little, it can be overwhelming to you."
Taking it a step farther, Roberts says "it's like learning a foreign language."
"When they first got here, it was like Chinese," he said. "Now, you can speak with them. We can have these conversations, I can talk to Coach Snow. And you can build off of that. The younger guys, they won't have that problem because that's the only football they know. But me, coming from my past system, it was a lot to learn at first. But now, I feel like it's smooth sailing."
The Bears have a solid two-deep up front with Lewis, Hunt, Lynch and Roy at the tackles and Roberts, Jones, Lockhart and Deonte Williams at end. But, it doesn't stop there.
Also in the mix are Micheal Johnson and redshirt freshmen Rob Saulin and Chidi Ogbonnoya at tackle and BJ Thompson and incoming freshmen Marje Smith and Josh Landry outside at the ends. That gives Okam three and four deep at every position up front.
But, it definitely starts with the seniors and their leadership.
"Ira is a quiet leader, he leads by example," second-year head coach Matt Rhule says. "He's one of those guys, I leave my office and look out sometimes and I can seem him out there hitting the sled at 5 o'clock, working on his left-handed stance. He wants to be a pro. He's a guy that should be a pro and play for a long time."
After graduating in May with a degree in political science, Lewis could have left as a grad transfer and finished out his career at another school. But, like Roberts, safety Verkedric Vaughns and receiver Chris Platt, he chose to stick it out.
"I definitely take pride in that, because I don't want to leave here on a losing season," said Lewis, who plans to go to law school after football. "Baylor fans deserve to see us win again."
Awarded one of the single-digit jerseys last season, Lewis said it was a "huge honor" and he wants to get it back this year. "I still appreciate my teammates voting me to wear that last year, and hopefully I get to do it again," said Lewis, who switched from No. 97 to No. 9.
Rhule calls Roberts "the epitome of our process."
"He's a guy that's played a lot, and now it's time for him to go be dominant," Rhule said. "It's time for him to affect the passer. You can't talk your want into that, you can't fake your way into that. You have to practice and then go do it in games. And I think he's really close to being that guy."
Roberts has also developed into a leader as he's matured.
"When I first got here, he just said whatever came into his head," Rhule said. "And now, he's thoughtful, he's insightful. He called me on vacation and wanted to know how to handle something, because he wants to be a great leader. Before, he just flew off the handle.
"He's learned one of the great lessons in life that if you want to be a great leader, you also have to listen. You also have to be willing to be led. You don't always have to be right. And that's why I think he's going to have a great year."
Roberts says he gets his toughness and explosion from his dad, Greg Roberts Sr., an Outland Trophy winner at Oklahoma who played five years in the NFL.
"I remember watching him and was like, 'Dang, Pops, you were out there,''' Greg said. "Genetically, I think that's what he's given me, just that toughness and my quickness off the ball. His, too, when he was playing was his biggest advantage. I told him, 'Pops, everybody back then was so slow, that's why you look so fast.'''
Also a May 2018 graduate, Roberts said that "you don't really appreciate these things until they're gone or whatever, but I wanted to do it for my grandmother and my aunt, the people who watched me and raised me. I wanted them to be proud. More than anything, I'm glad they got to see me graduate."
The Bears will open fall camp on Friday, Aug. 3, and kick off the season Sept. 1 with a home game against Abilene Christian at McLane Stadium.
The brand. #SicEm ?? pic.twitter.com/NyTRwoMdpR
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